On the afternoon of September 18th, the first round of the New Fashion Model Contest, advancing from 30 to 18 contestants, proceeded as scheduled.
While waiting backstage, Chi Yumo only learned from the host’s announcement that Shifeng Group had suddenly become a special sponsor of this modeling contest overnight. She also spotted Shi Youwan prominently seated in the guests’ section.
Shi Youwan was someone who never attended entertainment venues. She only discussed work in the company, hotels, or business banquets, let alone participating in such “vulgar” entertainment events.
Shifeng Group and a modeling contest had absolutely no connection, no matter how one thought about it.
She truly hadn’t expected that the impartial Shi Youwan would start abusing her public position for private gain just to see her, going so far as to do something as extravagant as throwing money around like this.
It was a pity, though—rather than investing money in the contest, it would have been better to use it for charity or to build schools.
[Shen Muxi: Don’t hold back just because a certain someone is in the audience.]
She hadn’t come to the scene herself, but the company’s top manager and agent had arrived and already reported the on-site situation to her.
[Chi Yumo: I won’t.]
[Shen Muxi: Good. Let loose, show off your figure properly, attract more little fangirls and sisters, and piss her off.]
“…” Chi Yumo didn’t reply again. She handed her phone to her assistant and signed with hand gestures: [Until the contest ends, I won’t take calls or check messages.]
“Got it, Miss Mo. Good luck!”
The first match eliminated the most contestants.
The opening round was the swimsuit display, with large areas of skin exposed. The models’ body proportions, strengths and weaknesses of their figures, and skin tones were all on full display.
Among the 30 models were Alphas, Omegas, and Betas. Their contestant information clearly marked their secondary gender traits but not their levels.
The height requirement was 172 cm or above for all. They wore identical halter-neck bikini swimsuits provided by the organizers, going out in groups of 10, divided into yellow, red, and black groups by contestant number from low to high.
Chi Yumo was in the third group, black.
If it had been before she recovered her memories, Chi Yumo would never have dedicated herself to art to this extent. She was very conservative at heart, reserving her body for the most intimate person only.
Before the contest, Shen Muxi had hired a teacher for posture lessons and made her try on many styles of swimsuits.
It wasn’t just wearing them for the teacher in the rehearsal room—Shen Muxi had also called company employees, photographers, and others to “watch,” forcing Chi Yumo to let loose under the gaze of many eyes, practicing expression control and five-shot mirror poses.
Chi Yumo’s sense of shame had gradually worn away over that half month.
Shen Muxi hadn’t forced her.
She had done it willingly.
The fashion world wasn’t the same as the entertainment industry, but it bordered it. To earn more money and get seen by more people, there was no faster way.
The guests’ seats were right behind the judges’ seats, indeed the area closest to the stage.
Among the twenty-odd guests, Shi Youwan sat at the very edge of the first row. She could hear the whispers from the surrounding audience and their comments on the models on stage.
Chi Yumo’s 176 cm height was only average in her group, but her naturally exquisite features and aloof temperament directly elevated her to a high-end aura.
The cheap black swimsuit on her body looked like high-end swimwear from some brand.
“Number 26 has an amazing temperament. She’s an Alpha, right?”
“Number 26 is way too good-looking. With those qualifications, why be a model? She should go on a talent show!”
“Number 26 is called Mo Yu, supposedly Shen Muxi’s person. How could she bear to let such a premium little Alpha out for others to see instead of keeping her hidden away?”
“Mo Yu—such a nice name. If I could find an Alpha like her, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams. I wouldn’t let her dress like this for you all to see. Whoever looks gets their eyes poked out!”
“Get real. She’s already taken. Do you think top-tier Alphas and Omegas like her are for us ordinary folks? They’ve long been claimed by the rich.”
“Aaah, fair skin, beautiful face, long legs, and abs! That gaze is killing me!”
Murmurs, praises, lecherous comments… they filled the air endlessly.
Shi Youwan wanted to look but couldn’t bear to.
Yes, if Xiao Mo were still her Alpha, how could she bear to let others see Xiao Mo’s body?
—Sister, is this swimsuit too revealing?
—Don’t worry, there’s no one else around, just us.
—Then why are you covered up more than me? I want to see Sister… in something sexy.
—Xiao Mo, no messing around in the hot springs.
—Oh. But Sister, I’m afraid I… can’t hold back.
—Be good, wait until tonight.
That Alpha who should have belonged only to her, that body meant only for her eyes, was now generously displayed to the public.
The scenes from last Spring Festival in the hot springs replayed over and over. Shi Youwan closed her eyes again and again, adjusting her breathing repeatedly.
If Qiao Ke hadn’t stuffed an “orange” stress ball into her hand before entering, telling her to squeeze it whenever she felt uncomfortable, the wound on her left palm probably would have reopened.
Could time really not turn back? Shi Youwan asked herself in her heart, and also asked fate.
For beauty-loving audience members, the contest was a feast for the eyes, but for Shi Youwan, it was three hours of sitting on pins and needles.
Swimsuits, activewear, freestyle outfits.
Over the three rounds of displays, Chi Yumo led far ahead in stage presence, gait, and demeanor scores, advancing to the top 18 without suspense.
For each appearance in the first three rounds, the host introduced each model’s basic information in narration. At the finale, the 18 advancing contestants each gave a one-sentence self-introduction at the microphone handed by the host.
“Advancing top 18 contestants, please loudly state your names!”
“Hello, I’m contestant number 1…”
“Hello, I’m contestant number 3…”
When it was Chi Yumo’s turn, she introduced herself in sign language: [I’m contestant number 26—Mo Yu.]
Arranged by number, the four after her had been eliminated.
She stood at the end.
The host knew number 26 couldn’t speak and had been instructed by staff not to explain for now, saving the suspense for the next round.
“Congratulations to these 18 contestants on stage! Give them another round of hot applause! The second round, from 18 to 10, will be in three days, on the 22nd. Audience friends, 2 p.m. on the 22nd, same venue—we’ll see you there!”
Almost at the same moment the host announced the birth of the top 18, the company opened a Weibo account for “Mo Yu.”
After witnessing Mo Yu’s sign language self-introduction, many audience members captivated by her erupted in shock below the stage.
Faces full of astonishment and disbelief, they pulled out their phones to search online.
“No way! Mo Yu is mute???”
“If Mo Yu is really mute, I’m going to cry to death!”
“God is blind!”
“Damn! What kind of international joke is this? No, no, I’m going to find Mo Yu’s agency and demand answers. Too heartbreaking 555~”
“Quick, look—Mo Yu has a Weibo now, just searched it up. It wasn’t there when the contest started.”
Judges, guests, and audience gradually exited. Some fans shouted names, trying to rush the stage for photos with contestants, but were blocked by security around the stands.
Some in the guests’ section also turned their attention to the quiet Shi Youwan at the edge.
This “inserted” representative from Shifeng Group had been eyed as “prey” by many since the host finished the opening announcement.
The host hadn’t introduced the viewing guests one by one, so no one knew Shi Youwan’s true identity.
But for those who bothered to check, how could they not figure out that this poised president of a listed group was sitting at the edge?
“President Shi, pleased to meet you.”
A male Alpha in his thirties from the same guests’ section approached Shi Youwan. “I didn’t expect the honor of watching the match with you. I’m Xiao Wei, marketing director for co-sponsor MENAS.”
Shi Youwan ignored his outstretched hand. Xiao Wei awkwardly withdrew it and straightened his suit: “Seeing is believing—photos don’t capture even a tenth of President Shi’s beauty.”
MENAS and Shifeng Group were in different industries. In terms of public recognition, MENAS outshone Shifeng Group.
But in market value, Shifeng Group far exceeded MENAS.
Seeing a man appear beside Shi Youwan, Qiao Ke hurried over from the regular audience seats against the flow to her side.
“Sorry, sir, my boss isn’t feeling well. You can talk to me.”
Xiao Wei hadn’t come to Shi Youwan for business talks but out of personal interest. He tended to lose his footing at the sight of beauty, so he’d dismissed the others and come hunting alone.
He was the eldest young master of MENAS’s second-largest shareholder family, a model of youthful success in Lingjiang City’s rich circles. He wouldn’t stick his hot face to a cold ass.
“Here’s my business card.” Xiao Wei politely pulled a card from his suit pocket and handed it to Qiao Ke. “If President Shi ever has interest in fashion events or shows, contact me anytime. I’m happy to serve.”
Qiao Ke accepted the card with both hands, glanced at the name, and replied: “Thank you, Director Xiao.”
Fewer and fewer people remained in the venue, lights brightening fully.
Shi Youwan sat with downcast eyes, like a statue.
Qiao Ke used her body as much as possible to block strangers’ gazes at Shi Youwan: “President Shi, the contest is over. With so many people and gossips, shall we head back to the hotel first?”
Shi Youwan wore a light blue suit that day, clutching an orange stress ball in her hand—completely out of place with her.
But that orange had eased her discomfort and anxiety over these hours.
“Qiao Ke, thank you.” Shi Youwan snapped back, returned the orange-shaped squeeze toy to Qiao Ke, and rose toward the guests’ passage.
“President Shi,” Qiao Ke squeezed the orange a few times, praising her own cleverness, checked the time, and caught up. “The 5:30 video conference will probably have to be on the road.”
“Okay.”
“Flight to XX City at 7 a.m. tomorrow, so up at 5.”
“Okay.”
“Business trip for two days. Tonight…” See Miss Mo?
“No.”
Xiao Mo wouldn’t want to see her.
